Acetylene-gas generator.



Patented oct. 3., |899.

` P. D. WESCOTT.

ACETYLENE GAS' GENEnATon.

(Application led June 8, 1898.)

(No Modl.)

WITNEss'Es:

nu: aims PETERS co., PR01-mums.. wAsmNaToN. n. c,

UNITED STATE-s PATENT OFFICE.

PULASKI D. WESOOTT, OF OORNING, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO-FIFTI-IS TO TALOOTT IV. TANNER, EDWIN CARPENTER, WILLIAM N. KING, AND EDWIN E. OUDDEBAOK, OF SAME PLACE.

' AC ETY LEN E-GAS G EN ERATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,434, dated October 3, 1899.

Application filed June 8, 1898. Serial No. 682,884. (No model.)

T u whom t 77H02/ 00700677'1: umn or stem g, which extends downward 5o Be it known that L'PULASKI D. NVESCOTT, Fthrough the stand-pipe O, chamber E, and a citizen'ofthe United States, residing at chamber F, a stufIing-box s being provided Corning, in the county of Steuben and State where the stem g passes out from the bottom of' New York, have invented a new and nseof the chamber F and a guide c being pro ful Improvement in AcetyleneiGas Generavided in stand-pipe O. A valve g', in the 55 tors, of which the following is a specification. formof a vdouble cone, is fastened to the stem My invention relates to improvements in vg to close the passage e from the chamber E acetylene-gas generators in which the carbid to chamber F. IVithin the carbid-receptacle to is delivered from the carbid-receptacle to the Gis the piston or plunger H ,which fits loosely waterin the water-receptacle; and the objects within the cylinder. The pistou-rod 72y passes 6o ofmyimprovementsare,tirst,toprovidemeans from this piston down through the tubular whereby the carbid shall be delivered autostem, this projecting portion of the rod h bematically to the water and in such a manner ing cut to form a series of teeth, as shown.

r 5 that the carbid will be completely decomposed A stufiing-box s at the head of the tubulaiduring its descent through'the water; second, stem g makes a tight joint at this point. A 65 to provide meansfor feeding the carbid which lever I, pivoted at vL' to an arm extending down will not become clogged or otherwise obstructfrom the bottom of chamber F, is coupled to ed, and,nally, to provide means for cleaning the end of stem g for the purpose of raising 2o out the waste products of decomposition and and lowering said stem. Two levers J J,

renewing` the carbid charge without the escape coupled together at j and pivoted to the swing- 7o of gas from the generator or the admission of ing fulcrum-bars j' j', which are hung from air thereto. I accomplish these objects by the bottom of chamber F, have their outer the apparatus shown in the accompanying ends coupled by connecting-rods K K with drawings, in whichthe arms b b, projecting out from the top of Figure l is a vertical transverse section of the bell B. Pawls Z Z are pivoted to the lethe apparatus; Fig. 2, a plan view, and Figs. vers J J where they are joined together, said 3 and 4, details of the feed mechanism. pawls being adapted to engage the teeth on Similarletters refer to similar parts througlr the rod 7L, the details ot construction at this 3o out the several views. point being shown in Figs. 3 and 4. I-Ioles in A represents the shell oi a gasometer supvlevers J J allow for the adjustment of the ful- 8o ported upon the legs a ce a and within which Crum-points to regulate the feed. A dog m is an inner wall A. The bell of the gasomeis coupled to the end of stem g and is adaptter B has its outer wall located between the ed to swing in and engage the teeth ot' the 3 5 walls of the gasometerA A and its inner wall rod 7L to prevent the descent of said rod when within a chamber surrounding the standpipe the pawls l Z are being dropped down for new 8 5 O. This stand-pipe C rises from the base of engagement with the teeth on said `rod. the gasometer, where it is enlarged to form Three vertical pipes L L L extend up from the chamberE. Chamber E is provided with the bottom of the gasometer and are provided to aconical bottom and connects byashort neck with inwardly-extending arms, which are @with a second chamber F, located below the fastened to the top of chamber D, these three 9o bottom of the gasometer, which I term the upright pipes forming guides for the bell B cleaning-chamber. The top of the standof the gasometer, which is provided with suitpipe O is enlarged to form a gas-chamber D, able rollers, and also forming a support for 45 which is provided at the top witha hand-hole the chamber D. One of said pipes L opens closed by the cap CZ. Within the chamber D into the chamber D at the top and is carried is located the carbid-receptacle G, said receparound at the bottom and up into the gas tacle being movable vertically within the ometer within the inner shell A'. One of the chamber and supported upon a tubular colremaining pipes L' is also carried around and up into the gasomcter and is provided at the top with an offshoot, which runs to the service-pipes. A ller-pipe M connects with the neel; c and extends upward to a desirable height above the stand-pipe C. A draw-oit cock O is provided atthe bottom of chamber F. In operation, the receptacle G being filled with broken carbid and the stand-pipe and chambers of the gasometer with water, as in dicated, the bell l is drawn up and then allowed to descend. This descent of the bell operates the levers .I J through connectingrods K and causes the )awls Z to grip the rod h and force it upward. This causes the piston H to lift the carbid in the receptacle G, causing the topmost lumps to roll over the edge ofthe receptacle and descend into the water in thev stand-pipe C. A conical delector d is attached to the plate d to facilitate this discharge of the carbid. As the lumps of carbid descend through the water in st-and-pipe C decomposition takes place, and by the time the lumps have descended through the length of the stand-pipe they will have been completely'decomposed and nothing but the lime residue will accumulate on the bottom of chamber E. The gas rises through chamber D, coming in contact with the fresh carbid delivered from receptacle G, any moisture arising with the gas being taken up by this fresh carbid, and the gas passes down through pipe Land up into the bell of the gasometer. lf it is desired to wash the gas, the arm of the pipe L within the gasometer may be turned downward, as indicated by the broken lines. As the gas is formed it accumulates in the bell and causes it to rise. The gas is taken off through the pipe L according to the demand of consumption. As the gas is consumed the bell B will drop, causing a new upward movement of the pist-on II and a fresh delivery of carbid to the stand-pipe. Thus the rise and fall will cause the carbid to be automatically fed to the stand-pipe in the proper quantity.

When the carbid in the receptacle G has been exhausted and it becomes necessary to renew the charge, the lever I is thrown down, causing the stem g to rise and with it the receptacle G. The top of said receptacle is brought up against the top of chamber D, where a packing-gasket is located to make a tight joint. The plate d may then be taken oft' without escape of gas from chamber D or the admission ot' air thereto. The dogm and the pawls Z l are thrown out of engagement with rod 7L and said rod allowed to drop down until the piston I'I rests upon the bottom of receptacle G. The receptacle Gis then filled with a fresh supply of broken carbid, after which the plate d is replaced and secured against the head of chamber D. The lever I is thrown up, and the apparatus is ready for a fresh generation of gas. When the stem g is raised, the valve g will also be lifted, allowing the lime accumulated in chamber E te descend into chamber F. Vhile this valve is open the water in the stand-pipe C, which has been taken up by the decomposition ol.` the carbid, may be renewed through the fillerpipe M, the water being brought to the proper level, as indicated in Fig. 1. When the lever is thrown up and the valve y' is closed, the lime deposit which has descended into ehamber F maybe drawn off through cock O without fear of escape of gas from or admission of air to the generator. Preferably I partially till the carbid-receptacle G with kerosene or other liquid which does not combine with the carbid in order that when the receptacle is to be charged a minimum quantity ot' gas will be left in said receptacle in place of the discharged carbid, and no'air will remain in the receptacle after it has been recharged. This liquid illing would descend below the piston H as it rises, since the piston does not fit the receptacle closely. The projecting point d' will also displace a quantity of the gas when the receptacle is thrown up.

Variations may be made in the manner of constructing and operating the several parts of the apparatus without departing from the spirit of my invention. For instance, it will be readily apparent that the piston I-I might be held stationary and the receptacle G made to descend by the ratchet-gearing, so as to deliver the carbid over its top instead of lifting the carbid, as herein shown in my preferred construction.

I am aware that heretofore generators have IOO been made in .which the carbid is dropped l into the water from the bottom of the carbidreceptacle. In this arrangement, however, a valve or other cutoi is required to regulate the discharge of carbid, and the probability of such valve or cut-oit becoming clogged or otherwise obstructed, so as to render the generator inoperative or very uncertain in its operation, is strongly against such construction. I avoid this difficulty by delivering the earbid from the top of the receptacle, thus dispensing with the objectionable valve or other cutoff.

Having thus described my apparatus, what I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a water-chamber, a carbid-receptacle adjacent the water-chamber, and means for feeding the carbid from the top of thereceptacle, substantially as described.

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a water-chamber, a gasehamber above the water-chamber, a carbid-receptacle within the gas-chamber, and means for lifting the carbid in the receptacle, whereby it is fed over the top of the receptacle and dropped into the water in the Water-chamber below.

3. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a water-chamber, a gas-chamber above the water-chamber, a carbid-receptacle within the gas-chamber, means for lifting the carbid in the receptacle, means for raising "of stored gas on hand.

o. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a water-chamber, a gas-chamber above the watenchamber, a carbid-receptaclewithin the gas-chamber, a piston within the receptacle, a gasometer, and rod and lever connections between the piston and gasometer, whereby the rise and fall of the bell will operate to elevate the piston.

(5. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a stand-pipe constituting a waterchamber, a gas-chamber at the top of the stand-pipe, a carbid-receptacle within the gaschamber, means for feeding the carbid from the receptacle, whereby the carbid is delivered to the water in the stand-pipe and completely decomposed in its descent through the stand-pipe, and means for drawing off lthe products of decomposition from the bottom of the stand-pipe.

7. In an acetylene-gas generator, the com,- bination of a waterchamber comprising an enlarged base portion and a stand-.pipe rising above said base portion, a cleaning-chamber below the water-chamber, a 'gas-chamber at the top ot' the stand-pipe, a hand-hole in the top of said chamber, a carbid'receptacle within the gas-chamber, a column supporting the receptacle, said column passing down through the water-chamber and the cleaning-chamber, a valve on the column to close communication between said chambers, and means for raising and lowering the column and receptacle for the purposes set forth.v

8. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a gasometer, a water-chamber', a gas-chamber above the water-chamber in communication with the gasometer, a carbid-receptacle supported within the gas-chamber, a piston within the receptacle, a rod from said piston extending down below the water-ch amber, a lever pivoted below the water-chamber having a pawl to engage teeth on the piston rod, a connecting-rod between the leverand gasometer-bell, and a dog to engage and hold the piston-rod after it has been actuated by the rise of the bell.

9. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination of a gasometer, a stand-pipe rising from the center of the gasometer, an enlarged chamber at the base of thestand-pipe, a cleanin g-cha1nber in communication therewith positioned below the gasometer, a gas-chamber at the top of the stand-pipe, a carbid-receptacle within the gas-chamber, a tubular co1- umn to support said receptacle passing down th rou gh the stand-pi pe and cleaning-chamber, a lever to raise and lower said column, a valve on the column to close the passage 'into the cleaning-chamber, a piston in the carbid-receptacle, a piston-rod passing down through the tubular column and terminating in a serrated extension, a pair of levers coupled to! gether in axial alinement with said extension, swinging fulcrum-bars for said levers, con necting-rods uniting the levers with the gasometer-bell, pawls on the levers to engage the teeth on said extension, and a retaining-dog hung at the end of the tubular column, together with the charging and discharging passages and gas connections, substantially as described.

In testimony' whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PULASKI D. WESCOTT.

Witnesses: f

EDWIN J. CARPENTER, F. D. BARRETT. 

